Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The vine-growing hill formations derive from Plio-Pleistocene deposits of a marine sedimentary cycle and extend over a belt approximately 20–25 km wide and around 125 km long, from the Tronto river to the Trigno river.
• The soils display a variable composition of sandy clays overlain by fine- to medium-grained siliceous sands, yellowish in colour due to the alteration of iron oxides, interspersed with layers of silts, gravels, and clays.
• Vineyards reach a maximum altitude of approximately 700 metres above sea level, with slopes and aspects that vary according to the hillside exposure.
• The climate is temperate, with mean temperatures ranging from 12 °C in April to 16 °C in October; in July and August it tends toward hot and arid conditions, with averages of 24–25 °C, while the annual temperature range is considerable owing to cold air currents arriving from the Balkans in winter and to the presence of the Adriatic Sea and Mediterranean high-pressure systems in summer.
• The Winkler heat summation index for the April-to-October period falls between 1,800 and 2,200 degree-days, a condition that ensures optimal ripening of the Montepulciano variety.

• A historical record of the Montepulciano variety in Abruzzo is found in Michele Torcia's 1792 work Saggio Itinerario Nazionale pel Paese dei Peligni.
• Cerasuolo wine, formerly a style within the DOC Montepulciano d'Abruzzo recognised by the Presidential Decree of 24 May 1968, was granted its own DOC designation starting with the 2010 harvest.
• The grapes are harvested slightly earlier than for red wine production and are vinified as white wine or with a brief maceration of 8–12 hours.

• Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo displays a more or less intense cherry-pink colour, with a pleasant, finely vinous, fruity, and intense nose.
• The palate is dry, fresh, and delicate, with a pleasantly almond-tinged finish that lends the wine elegance and appeal.

• The day-to-night temperature range, favoured by the proximity of the Gran Sasso and Maiella massifs together with good air circulation, creates optimal conditions for grape health and the accumulation of aromatic compounds.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the source.

All appellations in Italy

Sources

• Specification (EUR-Lex, single document)
• eAmbrosia register (EU) — File number PDO-IT-A0743
• Official trade body site — Consorzio Tutela Vini d'Abruzzo